timing belt broke when I was completely stopped, any hope?

[Xecure]

I stopped at a light when I heard my engine just stall out. Is there any chance the motor will be ok? Or am I gonna have to swap motor/sell the car?

[gr8skyr]

pull the head, swap out the bent valves or any broken rocker arms, hope for no terrible piston damage, new HG, slap all back together with a conti timing belt kit, water pump, tensioner, cam seal gasket and your good to go for another 50k or 4 years, which ever comes first.

[Xecure]

How can I tell if there is piston damage?

[mr.vang]

How can I tell if there is piston damage?

Most likely the piston is not damage to the point where it is not useable. You'll see just some mark on top of the piston. If it is cracked then it is no good.

[gr8skyr]

And by "slap" it back together, i mean follow Bently manual specs, use new head stud bolts, torque correctly. There is a fully rebuilt "885" head just posted here for about $950. You could grab that and you'd about plug and play on this job. You could then rebuild your head and resell at your leisure. Also you want to make sure your timing is checked and double checked. You don't want to be off one tooth and do all that work only to do it over. Didn't want to sound to cavalier in doing a correct timing belt/ head gasket job. It's the time to do your waterpump if you don't know last time done while it's all apart, serpentine belts too.

[SkiFree]

and.... as I hate to point out, but timing belts don't just "break" without having been neglected far past its servicing date/mileage. It's a tough lesson to learn.

[Xecure]

I purchsed the car about 3 weeks ago.

[UlrichFennec]

Do you have any records of the last time the belt and tensioner were changed?

[Xecure]

I have no records of any maintenance. I was planning on doing it either today or tomorrow.

[TurboJake]

There's a very slim chance. I've seen it happen personally with an M20, but the gods pretty much have to favor you, your family (Including cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents), and every single guy or gal you've ever been with for it to happen. It's grossly more likely that it did get damaged. We're talking lightning striking you or winning lottery odds here.

Pull the head and inspect.

[ST1G]

There's a very slim chance. I've seen it happen personally with an M20, but the gods pretty much have to favor you, your family (Including cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents), and every single guy or gal you've ever been with for it to happen. It's grossly more likely that it did get damaged. We're talking lightning striking you or winning lottery odds here.

Pull the head and inspect.

Facts right there.

[Exodus_2pt0]

I've seen valves bent from the machine shop sitting an m20 head on their counter waiting for me to pick it up.

[UlrichFennec]

The Achilles's Heel to E30s with an M20 is the timing belt and the cooling system. Praise the BMW gods for letting me change my timing belt every 20,000-30,000 miles without hassle.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I was planning on doing it either today or tomorrow.

yup, heard that before

[Xecure]

yup, heard that before

Thank you for the helpful comment